


From Ridicule to Romance

by DragonsAndOtters



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: F/M, mate!Hermione
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-27
Updated: 2017-01-27
Packaged: 2018-09-20 04:32:55
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,128
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9475847
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DragonsAndOtters/pseuds/DragonsAndOtters
Summary: (RUNNER UP: Best Relationship Development; Best Drama; Best True to Canon Characters in the Quills & Parchment Scandal One Shot Competition.) Mate!Hermione, Remione one shot.





	

**Author's Note:**

> I do not own Harry Potter or its universe, and I am making no profit from this writing. This one shot is my first Remione! It also is the runner up for Best Relationship Development, Best Drama and Most True to Canon in the Quills & Parchment Scandal One Shot Competition. This is a Mate!Hermione story, with minor/adult sexual relations implied (but vehemently denied!) I hope you enjoy this story. Catch me on tumblr at DragonsAndOtters-DH.tumblr.com. And an extra special thank you to JadePresley for beta-reading this for me.

* * *

From Ridicule to Romance

* * *

 

**3:00 a.m., February 25, 1994**

Remus Lupin appeared in Hogsmede with a soft pop and immediately turned toward the Forbidden Forest. If he'd been in his right mind, he would've thought to look around, make sure no one saw him, and that he wasn't being followed.

But Remus Lupin wasn't in his right mind. He was angry, and Moony was much, much angrier.

He'd hoped the long trek to the meeting point would give him time to cool down, but by the time he reached a scruffy, black dog in the middle of the forest, he was still seething.

"Moony," Sirius exclaimed as the dog melted into the man. "He was brilliant! Absolutely bloody brilliant. Moral fiber — that's our boy."

The animagus' excitement clouded his senses, and Remus was grateful for once that his best friend didn't immediately notice his foul mood.

"Did they seriously put Ron  _ and  _ Hermione at the bottom of that lake?" The former professor asked finally, thinking if he showed concern for both, his protectiveness over one couldn't be misconstrued as something more.

_ Mine. Protect. Must. Protect. _

Moony had been inconsolable since Lupin had read the evening edition of the Daily Prophet with details of the second task in the Triwizard Tournament. It felt like claws scratching inside his skull. Ideally, he'd be able to see Hermione, to prove to the werewolf in his head that she was just fine. But, that wasn't possible.

Thankfully, Sirius had agreed to a meeting in the dead of night at a spot Sirius, Peter and James used during school to attempt animagi transformations.

"They did. But they were fine the whole time, and you know Harry wouldn't have let anything happen to either of them. Kind of unfair, really, that he loved two in the lake and the rest only cared about one," Sirius' words tumbled from his mouth; he'd always had a habit of speeding through monologues without giving anyone else the chance to say a word edgewise.

"Did you see them after?" Remus pressed for more information, even though he knew his friend wouldn't have much.

"Only from afar, of course, but they were all perfectly fine. The kids woke up from whatever stasis Dumbledore put them in the minute they surfaced." Sirius shrugged.

"And  _ Hermione  _ was seriously what Viktor Krum was most scared to lose?" Remus tried to sound nonchalant, almost joking. "Does he not have an aunt or something?"

It'd been hard enough not to attempt sabotage of some kind on the Quidditch star after he'd asked Hermione to the Yule Ball. Though he didn't have romantic feelings for the girl — yet — he was very protective, Moony overly so.

Sirius chuckled at first but finally seemed to  _ notice _ his friend for the first time since he'd started reliving the proudest moment of his life with Remus.

"Moony," he asked, tilting his head languidly to the side. "Your heart rate's a little fast. I can hear it."

Remus looked around, everywhere but at Sirius. He couldn't lie. But he hadn't told anyone. He'd never planned on telling anyone. It would be too real if he said it out loud — harder to stay away.

Sirius dragged his eyes over the werewolf, searching for anything resembling an answer.

"Hermione'smymate," Remus' words ran together, as he'd immediately tried to suck them back in once he'd started speaking.

"I'm sorry, what did you just say?"

"Hermione is my mate," he said once more, his head hanging in shame.

It felt like a lifetime as he waited for Sirius to say something,  _ anything _ , when a calloused hand suddenly connected with the base of his neck.

"Ow!" he groaned, glaring up at Sirius while bringing his fingers to the stinging skin. "I'm sorry," he blurted out, "I didn't choose this!"

"Damnit," his friend said, snapping his fingers. "There was a bug crawling on you. Just missed it. Anyway, what were you saying? Your mate is 14?"

Remus rolled his eyes. Leave it to Sirius to say the one thing that'd been sitting in his heart like a large weight as if it were the most normal thing to have ever happened.

"I — yes. I'm not  _ in _ love with her obviously, she's a child, but I love her and every fiber of my being needs her safe," the werewolf said, clutching at his chest as if he could pull the weight off his heart.

"Of course, Moony, you can't help who your mate is!" Sirius clapped his friend on the back with a comforting smile. "We'll just...you know....wait 'til she's of age, and then it won't be so...weird."

Remus laughed sarcastically. "It won't be weird. Right. Of course you would think that." He ran a hand through his sandy brown hair in frustration. "I'm still 20 years older than she is, even when she's of age. I'm old enough to be her father."

"I bet you 10 galleons that girl had a crush on you last year."

"What! No! That's ludicrous," Remus threw his hands in the air dramatically. "Of course she didn't. That's insane."

Sirius chuckled and shook his head. "C'mon. You're brilliant, dashing, actually the more I think about it, you're both bookworm nerdy types. She's fine with Moony and already knows about it. She kept your secret for like a year without even really knowing you!"

An exasperated sigh escaped Remus' lips as he closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose. "I don't really want to talk about this Padfoot. I just needed to know she's ok."

* * *

_ Friday morning edition of the Daily Prophet, February 25, 1994 _

_ SCANDAL! MIDDLE-AGED WEREWOLF ‘MATES’ WITH 14-YEAR-OLD HOGWARTS STUDENT _

_ By Rita Skeeter _

_ Daily Prophet Correspondent _

_ Just when the love life of Hermione Granger, Hogwarts fourth year, couldn’t get anymore _

_ scandalous, this reporter exclusively learned that Remus Lupin, 34, or the werewolf that lives within, has mated with Granger. _

_ Lupin, as my faithful readers will remember, held the Defense Against the Dark Arts position at Hogwarts last year until he resigned in disgrace when his dirty (or should we say “furry”) little secret came to light. _

_ Though little is known about werewolves, there is some research that suggests each werewolf has a “mate” or someone that they are bonded to for life. Even less is _

_ known about this bond, only that it exists for every werewolf, is very powerful, and rare to find. _

_ Lupin admitted to my source that he’s known Granger was his mate since he met her on the Hogwarts Express last year. _

_ When my source, who asked to remain anonymous, questioned the sexual nature of this relationship, Lupin denied having a romantic connection with the minor. _

_ Though, I must ask, dear readers, do we believe that while Remus Lupin was teaching at Hogwarts he never came onto Hermione Granger, then a third-year student, not once the whole school year? _

_ And the juiciest question of them all: What will Harry Potter, the Boy Who Lived and Loved and Got His Heart Broken, and Viktor Krum, dreamy Quidditch star extraordinaire, have to say about their love triangle becoming a love square? _

_ Stay tuned. _

_ For the latest on Dolores Umbridge's latest anti-werewolf laws, see page A6. _

* * *

**5:30 a.m., February 25, 1994**

“Miss. Miss.  _ Miss Hermione Granger _ .”

Hermione woke suddenly from vicious shaking. Blinking the sleep away, a short figure with large eyes and doubly large ears came slowly into focus.

“Dobby?”

The house elf nodded, his ears flopping this way and that. “Yes, miss. Professor Dumbledore says I am to bring you to him. He says it’s  _ urgent _ ,” Dobby’s eyes widened as he spoke the last word. Bony fingers wrapped around her blanket and gently tugged it down. “Miss must get up now. Professor Dumbledore says you is to get dressed. Right away. Right away!”

Utterly confused and showing it on her face, Hermione quickly got out of bed and walked to the wardrobe. “Dobby, did Headmaster Dumbledore say what this is about?”

As Hermione began to pull out clothes, the house elf turned around so he wasn’t facing her. “He didn’t, miss,” Dobby said, almost sadly, like he thought he did Harry Potter’s friend a disservice by not asking. “Dobby is sorry, miss.”

There were just a few beats of silence before Hermione patted the elf’s shoulder, both comfortingly and to alert him that she was ready to go. “It’s alright, Dobby! Let’s go see what he wants at this odd hour.”

Dobby nodded, smiling brightly again, and led her out of the Gryffindor Common Room and through Hogwarts more efficiently than she’d ever been able to figure out, all while keeping up a steady stream of commentary and questions about Harry.

Hermione had a few guesses that were plausible about what this could be about and a few outrageous guesses, but nothing would’ve ever made her think Remus Lupin would be joining her in the Headmaster’s office.

He was enraged in a way that reminded her of he and Sirius attacking Peter Pettigrew in the Shrieking Shack the year before, but was somehow more angry than that in a way she couldn’t place.

Albus Dumbledore sat behind his desk with a copy of the Daily Prophet splayed out in front of him among trinkets and bowls of candy. His sparkling eyes stared at her from behind moon-shaped glasses. He looked as he always did, though his gaze would flip to Remus and back quickly every few seconds.

The fourth year took the scene in with a deep breath. “Is there something you wanted to speak with me about Headmaster?” she asked after an uncomfortably long silence followed her entrance. Her former professor hadn’t outwardly acknowledged her presence as he paced back and forth in the corner of the office.

“Remus, actually, has some news for you,” Dumbledore replied in his wistful voice, sending Dobby away before speaking again. “Remus,” he said again, turning his attention fully to the agitated werewolf, “she should know before she’s forced to read it in the paper. Please, Miss Granger, take a seat.”

Hermione turned to look at Remus, her eyebrows knit together in confusion. “No thank you, sir. I think I’m good,” she said in response to Dumbledore as she grasped the back of the chair in front of her with a shaking hand. She was already the smallest in the room, Hermione didn’t want to be at an even bigger disadvantage by sitting. She’d tried to prepare herself for anything, but seeing Remus after trying so hard to put him and her crush out of mind was not something she’d been ready to face.

Remus attempted to swallow the gigantic lump in his throat before speaking, but Moony wouldn’t shut up in the presence of his mate. He flinched under her scrutiny and tried to clear his throat, but Moony didn’t like that it made him look weak. “Herm-Hermione. You see. Uhm….listen.”

The girl turned toward the headmaster in exasperation. The corner of Dumbledore’s lips curled up sympathetically at the werewolf. “Take a breath, Remus, please.”

Remus closed his eyes, sighed and then took a deep breath in. Just as his eyes popped open, flashing golden, and he moved to speak, an owl pecked at the window. All three turned toward the sound.

With a flick of his wrist, Dumbledore let the creature in, and it landed gracefully on the headmaster’s desk. Once he had retrieved the letter from the owl, it flew off with a hoot. Dumbledore turned to look at the pair in his office with a subtle shrug and urged Remus to continue.

“Hermione,” the werewolf began, calling the girl’s attention back to him, “I know you’re going to have a lot of questions, and I should probably have figured out a way to say this gently. But I’m just going to say it. As you know, every werewolf has a mate.” Remus paused, and realization slowly blossomed across the witch’s face. She immediately moved to sit down. “Well,” he continued, “you’re mine. My mate, I mean. You’re my mate.”

Hermione stared blankly, first at Remus and then the headmaster. She swallowed thickly and slumped further into her chair. “Oh,” she said finally. “How long have you known?”

“Since I first met you on the Hogwarts Express, well, a couple of minutes before that, actually. I had no idea a thirteen year old was about to walk into that compartment. I’m so sorry, Hermione. You shouldn’t have to deal with this.” Remus sat down suddenly, as if letting her in on this suddenly lifted a significant portion of the large weight he’d been carrying.

The girl opened her mouth to ask another question, but an owl pecking at the window stopped her. Another letter. A couple more owls — one Hermione could’ve sworn was the Malfoy family owl — swooped in while the window was open, dropping more letters onto the headmaster’s desk.

The three people in the room watched silently as a Great Grey Owl — which Hermione immediately recognized as the Weasley’s owl, Errol — landed on Dumbledore’s desk and stuck its leg out. A small, bright red letter dangled in the air. Werewolf and witch glanced at each other, and Remus could feel his stomach swoosh and plummet into his knees.

Dumbledore eyed the pair as he carefully opened the howler. Once the seal was broken, the letter levitated and transformed its spine and pages into a mouth; a bookmark served as its tongue.

_ Albus,  _ the unmistakable hiss of Molly Weasley filled the otherwise silent room.  _ What in the name of Godric Gryffindor is going on? Surely, Rita Skeeter has finally started living up to the infamous rumors about her completely making up stories. Because  _ I know _ if Remus Lupin had decided his mate was that girl, Albus, I know you would have seen fit to inform me of such a thing. If I’d known —  _ the voice paused, and Molly took a deep breath before continuing.  _ Owl me at once, and you better have a plan on how to get Remus to see that this is outrageous. It’s not love; it’s wrong. _

Silence filled the room once more as the howler shredded itself. Hermione’s knuckles were white from gripping the arms of the chair she was sitting in. “How in the bloody hell did Rita Skeeter find out about this before I did?” Hermione ground out through clenched teeth, all other logistical questions about the situation having evaporated from her mind at the Weasley matriarch’s words. She was trying desperately to keep her cool, but Rita Skeeter had a particular efficiency for getting a rise out of her.

Remus stood once more, returning to his pacing. “She must have been following me,” he said, bringing his hands to his head in frustration. “I came to the forest tonight to meet Sirius and ask about the task. Moony was freaking out after I read you got put in that lake. I told Sirius there. It’s the first time I’ve ever told anyone. She must have been in that forest hiding somewhere. I’m furious with myself that I wasn’t more careful.”

He turned to Hermione, walking toward her slowly. Remus stopped short of standing in front of her. Though he stopped himself, her former professor looked like he wanted to touch her, to comfort her. His eyes were pleading with her to understand.

She’d never seen such a thing. She’d never imagined Remus Lupin — the real one, not the one from her daydreams — would be acting this way toward her, of all people.

“I’m so sorry,” he said finally. “You don’t deserve to be in this situation in the first place, and you definitely deserve better than Rita Skeeter writing this stuff about us.”

Hermione stared at him — partly in shock that this was all happening, partly in confusion that this was even possible, and partly in desperation. She wanted him to comfort her. It was like her bones yearned for it. “I want to read it,” she responded as calmly as she could.

The headmaster levitated the front section of the morning edition of the Daily Prophet and sent it toward her. It slowly dawned on Hermione that this was still fresh information; the letters and howler Dumbledore had already received this morning were just the beginning.

She grabbed the floating papers from the air and was immediately hit with a headline so big it rivaled those regarding Harry. “SCANDAL!” she read and the word echoed loudly in her head. Breathing deliberately in and out, Hermione scanned the story. She grew angrier with every word; she could practically hear Rita sneering them at her. Without realizing it, she was crushing the paper in her fists tighter and tighter the more she read.

Suddenly, she threw the paper to the ground beside her and stood, turning her head back and forth, glaring at the men in the room, silently demanding an explanation. Remus wasn’t meeting her gaze. She stared at them, pleading with her eyes but unable to speak.

“Do you have any questions, Ms. Granger?” Dumbledore asked, filling the silence.

Hermione rather dramatically plopped her hands on her hips, giving Dumbledore a look that suggested he’d gone absolutely mad — a look, he realized with a mischievous smile, he’d been given many times by many people before.

“Any questions?” Hermione’s voice spluttered out of her lips. “I’d like to meet again later today,” she turned to Remus before she spoke again, “I’ll have a list of questions.”

“And I’ll answer them the best I can,” Remus responded immediately, standing as well. The girl nodded, and the werewolf almost smiled. Dumbledore clapped his hands together softly, but the sound popped enough to draw the attention of the two in front of him.

“Well, Ms. Granger, I think that’s settled then. Come by after dinner, and we’ll discuss this further. For now, Remus and I have some things to attend to.”

Hermione nodded again and excused herself from the room. She practically ran through the empty hallways toward the Gryffindor Common Room.

Remus watched her retreat and then continued to stare in the direction she left for a few moments after she disappeared from view. He could feel Moony’s desperation to be near her again on top of his own. Dumbledore cleared his throat, drawing Remus’ gaze back to the elderly wizard.

Dumbledore had taken the moment to open the letter from the Malfoys and scan its contents. “Well,” he said, pushing away from his desk and standing. “Lucius Malfoy has called an emergency meeting of the Hogwarts Board of Governors this afternoon to investigate the possibility of anything inappropriate occurring during your tenure here.” The headmaster paused, looking over the tops of his glasses to meet Remus’ eyes. “We’ll have to deal with them then, but for now, we have a journalist to visit. And after that, I suggest we speak with Dolores Umbridge as well.”

Dumbledore walked around his desk and headed toward Lupin, holding out his arm. “I thought you couldn’t apparate inside Hogwarts?” the werewolf asked lamely.

The headmaster smiled and gestured with his opposite hand around the office. “Being me has its advantages.” Remus smirked, immediately storing the knowledge to tell Sirius the next time he saw the animagus.

As the familiar pull at his stomach meant they were about to pop away, Remus spared one last look toward the door where Hermione had exited. He desperately hoped she was alright.

The student in question was just reaching the portrait of the Fat Lady. She gave the password quietly and hoped that none of the Gryffindors were awake yet, or at least none of her friends. She needed to talk to Harry and Ron, but she didn’t want to pull attention to herself. Hermione was grateful that owls didn’t deliver the mail until breakfast. No one in the tower would have read the article yet.

Her two best friends weren’t in the common room, so she bounded up the stairs two at a time to the boy’s dormitory. None of the wizards in the fourth year dorms were awake yet. As she approached Harry’s four poster and pulled the curtains open, she tried to slow her heart down. Her mind was swirling with thoughts, questions and names of books to check out from the library. She pulled Harry out of bed and dragged him to Ron’s, tugging on the curtains firmly, but trying to be as quiet as possible.

Both boys grumbled angrily at her, but she ignored them as she pulled the curtains closed around the four poster and cast a silencing charm around them. Harry had fallen back onto Ron’s pillow next to him, the redhead having scooched over to make room. Hermione crossed her legs at the foot of the bed. “Guys,  _ guys _ ,” she insisted, speaking quietly despite the spell. “I’ve just got back from visiting Dumbledore.”

This caught Harry’s attention, but Ron was still fighting consciousness. Harry rubbed the palms of his hands against his eyes and looked around. Hermione immediately brought his glasses up to his face and wiggled them, having grabbed the spectacles after pulling him out of bed. He set the frames on his face and immediately blinked, making eye contact with his best friend once he could see properly. “What did Dumbledore want this early in the morning?”

Hermione took a big, deep breath in through her nose, paused, and slowly let the air out. “You can’t freak out, and trust me, you’ll want to, ok? So just remember, I don’t know anything but this, and you have to be quiet.” The girl paused, and Harry nodded.

Ron had finally come to, and he looked at the two invaders of his bed in bewilderment. “What the bloody hell is going on?”

“Ronald, I need you to remain calm. I’ve just come from Dumbledore’s office, and you’re not going to like what I’ve just learned.” The boy in question’s eyebrows wiggled in confusion, and he looked to Harry for confirmation that he wasn’t following either, who responded in kind. He looked back toward Hermione and gestured with his hand for her to continue. “I’m Professor Lupin’s mate, and Rita Skeeter overheard him telling Sirius so there’s an article on the front page of the paper. It will be all over the castle by the end of breakfast.”

Silence.

“What does that mean, exactly?” Ron was the first to speak, and Hermione had to fight not to roll her eyes.

“Honestly, do you learn anything here? Every werewolf has a mate. Research suggests that werewolves rarely find their mates; they could be anyone, so it’s rare. Apparently he’s known since we met on the Hogwarts Express last year. They say it’s a lifelong bond, like...soul mates, kind of.” As the words left her mouth, Hermione felt her cheeks and the tips of her ears heat up.  

Harry had yet to speak, which made the whole thing worse. She desperately hoped Harry would be calm about this. “But he’s like 40! Is he in love with you? What’s he playing at?” Ron’s voice burst through the silence, echoing through the space.

“I don’t know much,” Hermione said, leaning toward Ron and placing her hands on his legs, hoping to keep him from exploding. “He’s never made any sort of advances toward me, of course. Knowing how he feels about his lycanthropy, I doubt he’s excited about this. The research says they don’t choose who they mate with. It just happens.”

Ron held his hands in the air, moving them back and forth as if grasping for answers. “I don’t know what to say,” he replied after gaping for a few moments. Ron turned toward the friend sitting beside him, looking desperately into his eyes, hoping he would know what to do.

“This is a lot to take in, Hermione,” Harry said finally. “How are you feeling?”

Hermione sat back, taking her hands off Ron’s calves, as she thought on his question. How did she feel? She hadn’t given herself time to attempt to process any of it. It’s not like she had a choice in the matter, either. But she did have a choice with what happened moving forward. At least, she thought she did. Didn’t she? She shrugged helplessly. “I told them I wanted to meet again later today. I’m preparing a list of questions. But, Rita’s article. There’s already been a backlash. The hour I spent in Dumbledore’s office? He got at least five letters. And a howler! Your mother!” she pointed at Ron, who shrugged, unsurprised.

Harry reached forward, wrapping Hermione in an awkward hug because of the limited space and strange positions they were in. “We’ve got your back, Hermione. Don’t we, Ron?”

Silence followed as Harry returned to his original position and looked at Ron expectantly. Hermione’s heart beat wildly against her rib cage. Realistically, she’d woken up this morning with feelings for Ron, despite his actions the previous term toward Harry about the Triwizard Tournament and toward herself over the Yule Ball. It’s not like those feelings would just go away. Where did that leave them? “Of course we’ve got your back, ‘Mione,” Ron said, shrugging and attempting a smile, which still left her unsure of what this meant for them.

* * *

_ Sunday evening edition of the Daily Prophet, November 1, 1998 _

_ Golden couple splits for good: Werewolf at the center of it all? _

_ By Rita Skeeter _

_ Daily Prophet Correspondent _

_ As the sun set on Sunday and the Wizarding World began preparing for another week, Hermione Granger, war heroine, started a new chapter in her life. Large sunglasses covering most of her face — which no doubt was puffy from crying over the end of her relationship with fellow war hero and one-third of the Golden Trio, Ron Weasley — couldn’t disguise the sight of Granger carrying coffee into the home of Sirius Black, which he shares with one Remus Lupin. _

_ Lupin, of course, as my faithful readers will recall, announced that Granger was his mate while she was just 14 years old and a student at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Twenty years Granger’s senior, Lupin, a former Defense Against the Dark Arts professor at the school, has had lycanthropy since he was a child.  Though the pair has insisted for years that their relationship is strictly platonic, the Wizarding World has always been on edge about the idea of a famous witch falling prey to the romanticized idea of werewolves made popular by the controversial and steamy novels such as “Under the Moonlight” and “Full Moon Lovers.” _

_ Granger ignored repeated questions about the demise of her relationship with the youngest Weasley brother and denied that Lupin was involved in the breakup or her decision to move in with Black and the werewolf. _

_ “Just because I live with a man, doesn’t mean I’m involved with him romantically, though now that I’m of age, I don’t see what problem there would be with that. Remus and I are still figuring out what this mating stuff means, just like the rest of the world,” Granger said as she passed a line of journalists in the street. “If we could just get some privacy, that would be appreciated at this time. Thank you.” _

_ That’s all we know for now, lovely readers. I’ll leave you with a few burning questions: Why did Granger and Weasley end their relationship? Are Lupin and Granger romantically involved, and if not, when will they be? How will that affect wizard/creature relations? Will anti-werewolf legislation be repealed? _

_ Stay tuned. _

* * *

**11:00 p.m., November 4, 1998**

Remus Lupin’s screams turned to a howl as the full moon reached its peak in the sky, and his face morphed into a snout. From his cage in the basement of Grimmuald Place, the wolf shook its head and snapped at the air, adjusting into its body.

Yellow eyes fell upon the graceful body of a long-haired, brown cat sitting casually on the ground a few feet away. He lowered his head and came face-to-face with the new creature.

The cat’s nose twitched as it smelled the wolf up close. Hermione blinked slowly once, twice, three times.

_ I love you. I love you. I love you. _

The great beast lowered its snout to the floor and whined. A big, black dog in the corner growled softly when the cat languidly approached Moony. Hermione turned and stared at the dog, meowing assertively.

_ I know what I’m doing. _

The fluffy cat’s nose and whiskers nudged against Moony’s snout. She turned her face and brushed against him again, scent marking. The cat’s content purring offered a comforting vibration on the wolf’s head.

_ Mine. _

She pranced along the length of his body, pressing against the wolf with confidence. Hermione came to face the wolf again and meowed.

_ Your turn. _

Moony quickly took the offering and thrust his snout into the butt of the cat. She meowed again, sharply this time. If werewolves could laugh, that’s the sound Moony made with a huff as he moved his nose into the brown, silky fur on the cat’s stomach, acquainting himself with the new but familiar animal.

Padfoot moved toward the couple with caution, woofing quietly. Two pairs of eyes looked at the dog, and the cat pounced toward the black-furred animal. Meowing excitedly, the cat slid in between the dog’s legs. Padfoot sniffed the cat, chirping in recognition.

Moony growled low in his throat, and the animagi snapped their attention back to the wolf. In unison, they bounded toward him. Though it wasn’t as wild as back in the days with the marauders, the three animals played and wrestled for hours that night.

Lupin’s heart was full and overflowing with emotion and affection. Pack.

As night gave way to dawn, the tall, slender cat curled up in the space inside the crook of the wolf’s neck. She purred until both animals fell asleep.

Remus Lupin awoke with a familiar cinnamon and honey smell filling his senses. He tightened his hold around the waist of a petite form. and buried his nose in the soft curls crowding his face. “Mmm, Hermione,” he moaned, as the witch’s scantily clad bum rubbed against him. A growl erupted from his throat, and the girl turned in his arms, warm, brown eyes innocently glancing up at him.

“What did you do?” Remus almost yelped, pushing her out of his embrace and standing. He glanced around for something to cover himself with, found his shirt near them on the floor and grabbed it. “You could have been hurt!  _ I _ ,” he exclaimed, throwing his hands up in the air and gesturing wildly at himself, “could have  _ hurt _ you.”

Hermione slowly pulled herself up to her feet, stretching calmly.

“I know it’s been hard for you to get it through your overly convoluted head that I want you, but Moony doesn’t have such issues. He knows what we both want, what we both need —“ Remus held up a firm hand to stop her, but she pushed on, “— and he’s not afraid to take it.”

Remus shook his head, shocked at Hermione’s cavalier attitude over spending the night in the arms of a bloody wolf.

He turned from her and stormed up the stairs and into the main house. He stalked into the kitchen where Sirius was making coffee, eggs and toast. “Hey Moony, interesting night, yeah?”

“What the bloody hell was that, Padfoot?”

The raven-haired wizard shrugged lightheartedly. “She was determined. You know how Hermione Granger is when she puts her mind to something.”

“So you knew?”

Sirius barked out a laugh. “Knew? Oh dear, Moony, being the most infamous animagus of all time myself, I helped her.”

Remus pulled a chair from the table and sat with a huff. “She could’ve been hurt.”

“I knew exactly what I was getting myself into, Remus Lupin,” Hermione’s sharp tone filled the kitchen as she entered, walking toward the chair next to the werewolf’s and facing him. She placed a stern hand on a cocked hip. “You’re not as scary as you think, you know.”

Remus snorted as his oldest friend handed him a cup of steaming coffee, and he took it gratefully. “I just need you to be safe, and you never will be down there in the basement with me.”

Hermione sat, turning a raised eyebrow to her mate. “Says the man who’s sitting here at breakfast the morning after a full moon and not up in bed asleep.”

Narrowed eyes moved from Hermione’s defiant ones down the length of his body. He was sore, sure, but it felt more like he’d spent a night on the town than like he got run over by the Knight Bus, and then it backed up and ran him over again. He sighed, running his hand through sandy blonde hair. She was right. She was always right. She was nearly 20. It was time he accepted that while he was still too old for her and she deserved much better, he and Moony couldn’t survive without her.

“When did you learn?”

“I started fifth year, but you know, then I had to help Harry defeat Voldemort and transforming took a back seat,” Hermione looked toward Sirius. “Once I moved in here after the war, Sirius helped me through the rest of the process. I signed the papers at the Ministry just a week ago.”

Remus placed a tentative hand on Hermione’s arm, rubbing soothing circles with his thumb. “You were beautiful. Thank you for this.”

“Oh, it’s not just for you. I can’t stand listening to you transform from behind a locked door.” Hermione shook her head.

“Hey, I didn’t sign up for this sickly sweet stuff,” Sirius interrupted, waving his hand through the air as if something stunk. “Get back to the sassiness and attitude.”

Hermione hissed playfully from across the table.

Sirius smirked. “Turns out that incident in second year was just a warm up, yeah?”

The table jerked forward as Hermione jumped, morphing mid-air into the graceful feline and running across the length of wood. Wizard melted away into dog, a laugh fizzling out through the transformation and returning as excited yelps. The dog ran from the room, bounding up the stairs with loud steps. The cat chased Padfoot, and rough barks preluded harsh meows.

Remus hoisted his elbows to the table back in the kitchen and rested his chin in his cupped hands. He sighed, laughed, and closed his eyes, taking in the sounds. For the first time in a long time, he felt happy.

Despite being much better off physically than usual after a full moon, Remus still made his way up the stairs after the playful animagi. He fell into bed and curled in on himself, Hermione’s scent lingering in his senses.

Before he could fall asleep, a soft, brown ball of fur curled up next to him, her face on the pillow in front of his. Remus scratched his fingers behind Hermione’s ears, and she preened, pressing into the contact. Her body was vibrating with purrs. As his hands slowed their ministrations, fur turned to thick curls. Exhausted from her run with Sirius, the witch’s body curved into Remus.

The man’s breath hitched in his throat as the exposed skin of Hermione’s thigh brushed against his own. Instinctively, he used his free hand to grip her waist, pulling her even closer to him. His other hand, still wrapped around locks of her hair, pulled her face up to his.

Hermione rubbed the side of her cheek against his until her warm breath danced along the ridges of his ear, scent marking suddenly felt natural to her even in human form. He shivered at the touch, and the scent that drove him crazy, her scent, surrounded him completely. He was drowning in her.

_ What an incredible way to die,  _ Remus thought as their bodies moved in tandem. The hand on her hip moved up to her chin. He gently pulled her face so that they were looking directly at each other. There was a small smile on his lips and a question in his eyes.

She smiled back at him and nodded, bringing their mouths together in a searing first kiss. Remus breathed in sharply, her alluring scent keeping him from pulling away, from again explaining that she deserved more than him. He gave up. She won. He wanted more, needed more. He couldn’t control the big bad wolf inside him any longer. He was going to devour every inch of her.

* * *

_ Sunday evening edition of the Daily Prophet, March 12, 2000 _

_ From Ridicule to Romance: The love story of a werewolf and a witch _

_ By Rita Skeeter _

_ Daily Prophet Correspondent _

_ Hermione Granger, the muggleborn war heroine everyone loves or loves to hate, is no stranger to scandal; from an early age, Granger befriended The Chosen One, becoming a central part of the epic that was the fall of Tom Riddle (aka. Voldemort.) _

_ At 14, Granger found herself the unwitting point of a love triangle between Harry Potter and Quidditch star Viktor Krum. In 1994, Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry was host to the Triwizard Tournament. Ironically, the tournament hadn’t been played in centuries due to its violent nature — not all champions lived through the games. The second rise of Vodemort during the third task is well documented and, years later, almost legend. For the careful reader, however, the love lives of some of the key players was just as tumultuous. _

_ During the first task of the tournament, Granger was found standing at Potter’s side. She helped him mentally and physically prepare for the challenge; and many readers (and this writer) believed she helped emotionally as well, though both parties continue to deny it. _

_ Krum, champion for the Durmstrang Institute, took Granger to the Yule Ball that year. If that wasn’t enough love drama for one teenage witch, news broke a few months later that a former Hogwarts professor — and best friend to Potter’s deceased father during the First Wizarding War — had "mated" with Granger. Remus Lupin had taught Defense Against the Dark Arts the previous year and resigned in disgrace when it became known that he was a werewolf near the end of the second term. _

_ Laws through the Second Wizarding War regarding werewolves took away the basic rights afforded to witches and wizards. It was extremely difficult to secure a job or a place to live as a werewolf; werewolves were not allowed to own a business or buy property. They couldn’t partner with a witch or wizard, financially or otherwise. Werewolves were viewed as second class citizens — or worse. _

_ It was widely believed that the werewolves were working with Voldemort, mostly because the infamous Fenrir Greyback made headlines by working with the dark wizard and causing a great deal of carnage in the magical and muggle communities. _

_ Though very little was truly known about lycanthropy back then, mating was a well-known ritual. Every werewolf has a mate, the mate can be anyone, which makes a mate very rare to find. Mating is a life-long bond. A werewolf doesn’t choose whom it mates with. But none of what we previously knew about werewolves and mates mattered much when Lupin, then 34, admitted to knowledge that Granger, then 14, was his mate. _

_ Chaos erupted in the Wizarding World. Parents were concerned their children would be next; officials reacted swiftly — namely one Dolores Umbridge. Umbridge is still in Azkaban, not only because of her abuse of power in regards to anti-werewolf laws, but also for torture and other war crimes. _

_ But the laws didn't stop Lupin from fighting for the light. As a member of the acclaimed Order of the Phoenix, Lupin worked side-by-side with Albus Dumbledore in an attempt to negotiate with werewolf packs and persuade them from following Voldemort. However, even after the war was won and Lupin received the Order of Merlin for his heroism, the Wizarding World at large was skeptical still of the scandalous nature of Lupin's relationship with Granger. _

_ "We didn't get together for more than six months after the end of the war," Lupin said in an exclusive interview in Grimmuald Place, where the couple lives with Sirius Black (who spent 12 years falsely imprisoned for the murder of Peter Pettigrew, who, as it turns out, didn't die until near the end of the Second Wizarding War, but that's another story. In fact, "The Tragic Life of Sirius Black" is on sale now at your local bookstore.) _

_ "He was adamant that I deserved a choice, and he felt like knowing that I was his mate took away that choice," Granger said as she placed a hand over Lupin's. _

_ It was a struggle for Granger, attempting a normal life after news of her being Lupin's mate broke. She was already teased relentlessly for her muggleborn heritage and for being so close to The Chosen One. Being romantically linked to a former professor only made the teasing worse and more personal. _

_ "When I was teased for being a muggleborn or for seeking fame by befriending Harry, that was an attack on my character. I know who I am, and I never cared what other people thought of me," she said, effortlessly poised. "But when they started insinuating that Remus was anything less than professional toward me until after I was of age, that's not acceptable." _

_ After the war, the couple joined the Ministry under the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures. _

_ "My first priority was to educate the public on lycanthropy and dispel a lot of the myths surrounding it," Granger said. _

_ Lupin, however, had more than just the good of his species on his mind. _

_ "I wanted to repeal the laws against werewolves, specifically the ones with regards to relationships with witches and wizards," Lupin agreed. "I knew I wanted to marry Hermione, legally." _

_ Granger blushes at this, twisting the sparkling diamond on her finger absentmindedly. _

_ "I'd waited for him for so long, had to convince him that it was ok to love me," she said. "I'm glad that once I did, he really stepped up and fought for his rights, our rights." _

_ The couple will wed in an intimate ceremony Friday. _

_ "You know, when I think back to reading that article in '94 and remember how angry I was at the whole situation, I can't bring back that anger anymore," Granger said. "I sometimes wonder if that article had never been published, would I be here? Sitting next to the love of my life about to get married? Maybe not. I think he needed that time, the world needed that time, to wrap their heads around all of this. That it is love, and it isn't wrong." _


End file.
